Also in this Issue:
MILITARYY
MATTERS an Armed Forces News Section
We Wanna See Ya ... In a Pensacola Autosport Kia!
Introducing the All-New KIA K5
AUTOSPORT PENSACOLA
KIAAUTOSPORTPENSACOLA.COM 6637 PENSACOLA BLVD, PENSACOLA, FL 32505
850.457.7772
TIRES FOR LIFE AND LIFETIME POWERTRAIN WARRANTY REQUIRE ALL FACTORY MAINTENANCE FOR AS LONG AS YOU OWN THE VEHICLE. SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS.
Could you be our next
COVER
Bride?
We’re looking for the perfect Pensacola bride for the cover of
Pensacola Magazine Weddings 2021 Submit up to three of your individual wedding photos (high resolution please) to weddings@ballingerpublishing.com, and you could be featured on the cover of the Weddings 2021 issue.
Submissions due by
March 15, 2021
Editorial-style shots by your professional photographer are prefered. Please include the names of the bride, groom and photographer.
100% of the $1,000 membership donation is distributed in transformative grants to nonprofit recipients in our community.
JOIN BY MARCH 1ST
Go to impact100pensacola.org to join or renew and make your IMPACT!
www.impact100pensacola.org
Since 2004, IMPACT 100 Pensacola Bay Area members have awarded 120 grants of $100,000 or more to nonprofit organizations in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, resulting in an investment of $12,830,000 in our area.
FIRST TIME HOME BUYER SPECIALIST
Did you know home ownership is the #1 thing you can do to create long term wealth?
CALL ME To Find Out How You May Be Able To Move In A Home With NO MONEY DOWN.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Simone Sands, Realtor ©, CRS Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices PenFed Realty 17 West Cedar Street, Suite 2, Downtown Pensacola cell 850-293-2292 | office 850-434-2244
A Place for You PENSACOLA DOWNTOWN
PENSACOLA AIRPORT /CORDOVA MALL
850-432-0202
850-478-1123
marriott.com/pnsdt
2187 Airport Boulevard
5049 Corporate Woods Drive
pensacolaairport.hamptoninn.com
pensacolaairport.homewoodsuites.com
850-479-8900
850-476-8383
601 E. Chase Street
850-439-3330
700 E. Chase Street marriott.com/pnspc
1144 Airport Boulevard pensacolaairportmedicalcenter.hgi.com
Business
Vacation
850-474-3777
6000 Cobble Creek Road marriott.com/pnsrp
Extended Stay
HIGHPOINTE.COM
DOWNTOWN CROWD MARCH 2021
Editor’s Letter
Publisher Malcolm Ballinger Owner Malcolm Ballinger Executive Editor Kelly Oden
CONTENTS
Gina Castro, Editor
Editor Gina Castro Art Director Guy Stevens Graphic Designer Garrett Hallbauer Editorial Assistant Dakota Parks Editorial Interns Jesse Gann Fiama Mastrangelo Sky Rivera Advertising Account Executives Paula Rode Paula@ballingerpublishing.com Becky Hildebrand becky@ballingerpublishing.com For advertising rates or news tips contact Phone: 433-1166 · Fax: 435-9174 DOWNTOWN CROWD is published by Ballinger Publishing. Offices located at 314 N Spring St., Ste. A, Pensacola Florida 32501 Published by Ballinger Publishing
Downtown Crowd is locally owned and operated. It is published monthly for distribution in Pensacola, Florida. All Right Reserved. Reproduction or use of the contents herein is prohibited without written permission from the publisher. Comments and opinions expressed in this magazine represent the personal views of the individuals to whom they are attributed and/ or the person identified as the author of the article, and they are not necessarily those of the publisher. This magazine accepts no responsibility for these opinions. The publisher reserves the right to edit all manuscripts. All advertising information is the responsibility of the individual advertiser. Appearance in this magazine does not necessarily reflect endorsement of any products or services by Ballinger Publishing. © 2021
Although it’s only the third month of 2021, this year is starting out a little rough. From the horrific insurrection in January to the death of icons Cicely Tyson and Mary Wilson to the deadly cold weather in Texas, it’s easy to assume the rest of the year will be difficult, too. But what is sunshine without the rain? I still have hope that this year will be better than the last. Our main story for this issue is all about how folks turned misfortune into an opportunity. Shutdowns due to COVID-19 and hurricane Sally caused businesses to have to change their approach. For some, food trucks became the key to grappling these hardships. You can read about Pensacola’s many food trucks in this issue. The art community has also taken a hit. Artists had to find alternative ways to draw people to their work. Fortunately, new projects like Pensacola Artists Live (PAL) are spotlighting artists for a virtual audience. Our intern from the University of West Florida, Fiama Mastrangelo, sat down with the people behind the project. You can read her profile of PAL in this issue. March is Women’s History Month. That doesn’t mean March is the only time we celebrate women’s achievements. Women’s History
Month is only a reminder to acknowledge women’s stories of perseverance as well as the disadvantages women still face today. Jazz expert and womanist, Dr. Joan Cartwright will be giving a lecture on blues women via Zoom for the Voices of Pensacola. In her interview with Dakota Parks, Dr. Cartwright discusses the defiance expressed in female blues singers as well as the sexism women in music experience today. You can find this thought-provoking profile in this issue. Stories of triumph are some of my favorite stories to feature, and this issue has plenty.
7
8
11
In honor of Women’s History Month, I’ll leave you with a quote from American writer and activist, Audre Lorde. “You do not have to be me in order for us to fight alongside each other. I do not have to be you to recognize that our wars are the same. What we must do is commit ourselves to some future that can include each other and to work toward that future with the particular strengths of our individual identities. And in order for us to do this, we must allow each other our differences at the same time as we recognize our sameness.” – Audre Lorde
17 7 5 Questions with Creatives 8 The Art Community Needs a PAL: Local Project Spotlights Artists 11 Discovering New Routes: Pensacola’s Food Scene Flourishes Despite the Pandemic
18 17 7 Local TikTok Accounts You Need to See 18 Creating Harmony from Cacophony: Voices of Pensacola Hosts Jazz Expert 20 March Events Calendar 21 Military Matters
ON THE COVER – Design by Garrett Hallbauer
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 5
We proudly serve all local residents and businesses and honor all active military.
10%
Military Discoun t
Monday - Friday: 9a.m. to 5:30p.m. Saturday: 9a.m. to 3p.m. Closed Sunday 551 S Fairfield Dr. Pensacola, Fl 32506
850.444.9191
www.storagekingusa.com
5 QUES TIONS WITH
CREATIVES L IND SEY HAMPTO N B Y S KY R I V E R A
Local artist Lindsey Hampton is making quite the splash in the local art scene here in Pensacola. This artist has a true love and passion for what she does. She is an alumni of UWF, and an internationally showing artist, having shown her work in both Ireland and Pensacola. Hampton’s work is a collection of thoughts on human nature and social normality. Through her recent nude paintings, she is able to give her audiences a deeper appreciation for themselves and their bodies. You can find Hampton at the 200 South Outdoor Market on the third Saturday of every month. To look at more of Hampton’s artwork, check out her Instagram @sunflowerdaze or her website at LindseyHampton.live. How did you first get involved in art, or when did you start to take it more seriously?
but is there any one thing in specific?
I have been an artist for as long as I can remember. It wasn’t until about five or six years ago that I really started to take it seriously. I first got involved in art for myself, but then it became a way of journaling for me. I understand the world better through visual context. I look at how we talk and express ourselves, and I can connect better through art.
A lot of my inspiration is truly from people, but more specifically the existential themes of humanity. Though we are what makes up society, we often feel bound to social rules that we don’t feel represent us. I build conversations around this precarious relationship. Recently, I have been exploring the conversation of self-actualization, specifically with regards to our own body image.
Where do you draw most of your inspiration for your work? I know this can be a broad question,
Lindsey, I saw you have a lot of nude paintings on your Instagram, what is the story behind those? Are they
meant to be empowering? That actually started in undergrad. I was a very traditional painter. Based off of budget and my own insecurity, I became my own model. People would complement my work or comment on the model’s body without realizing it was me. It was pretty cool! Through painting my own body, I fell in love with certain nuances about myself. It has been very empowering for not only me, but others as well. I have had people ask
me if I will paint them, and it’s awesome seeing people take that step with themselves. What is your biggest goal for your art? I want to be able to have my own studio and sell my work from there. To be able to teach my practice would be a dream. Art is a way of communicating and making connections, and I want to be able to share that with others in my own space.
What is something you want your audiences to know about your art, or just life in general? I am a sucker for the process of oil painting. Everything is done by hand. If I have access to a woodshop, I make the frames myself. I even stretch the canvases by hand as well, and I want to take it a step further and mix my own pigment when that opportunity arises. As for life, I say keep doing what you love and have faith in yourself. The rest comes natural with time. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 7
THE ART COMMUNITY NEEDS A PAL:
LOCAL PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS ARTISTS by Fiama Mastrangelo
Performance venues have remained closed throughout the duration of the pandemic, but artists haven’t stopped making music. Since nationwide lockdowns in March 2020, musicians and performance artists have taken to livestreaming their art through platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. Many local artists have seen their community come together to support them through Bandcamp campaigns and buying merch from cancelled tours. Despite these grassroots efforts, one Pensacola film company saw an opportunity to further help musicians and artists thrive in a period where safe gigs are few and far between. Enter Pensacola Artists Live, or PAL for short. 8 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
for now, this is just about giving artists a platform to perform.
Calliope Films is a local film and production company owned by Chris Jadallah. Jadallah is heavily involved in the local arts community and was enthusiastic to support local artists who were relying on livestreaming services to promote music and connect with fans. “I saw a bunch of folks doing livestreams on Facebook and YouTube [at the start of] the pandemic, and I thought it was super cool,” Jadallah said. “They had a tip button at the bottom of the screen and people could donate to them… [It was] awesome to see folks coming out to support, but you couldn’t really hear it or see it well. So, I asked, ‘Well is there a way I can better represent these artists with what I can do?’—which is video and sound.” PAL’s mission is to keep live music safe. Headlines throughout the duration of the pandemic have raised some alarm bells, as “super-spreader” events have increased positivity rates in affected communities. Even small local shows have the potential to endanger attendees, artists and essential workers that come into contact with them throughout the incubation period for Covid-19. Jadallah emphasized the safety of the artists and the fans. “I want it to feel as much like a live show as it can, while keeping it as safe as possible for the artists,” Jadallah said. “All the crew are wearing masks, only the crew is in there and no crowds or anything like that.” In addition to keeping the artists and crew safe, Jadallah explained how PAL will
operate as well. Portions of the tips are distributed amongst the team pulling the livestreams together. The artists will receive the biggest percentage of the tips with the rest going toward the volunteer camera crew and the Indie Arts Council— which is an organization that aims to provide pay for working artists in Pensacola. “I’m not getting a dime, Calliope’s not getting a dime, and for now, this is just about giving artists a platform to perform,” Jadallah said. “Of course, trying to get live shows and giving the artists a platform to perform is important, but… I always like to give people money for [the work] they’re doing,” Jadallah continued. “That’s what’s going to keep the arts in Pensacola. It’s not going to be ‘Hey good job,’ it’s going to be ‘Hey good job, I’m gonna pay you for what you do.’ That’s how you keep artists in Pensacola.” The type of artists that will be performing for PAL will vary significantly as this project continues to grow. Local band, Faux/ Fox kicked off the series in February, and Poppy Garcia, a local artist, will be doing a live paint-along for the month of March. Jadallah explained the paint-along as “a Bob-Ross styled thing” with the camera closely following the steps. The sky is the limit with this series, as Jadallah explained: “Any art that we can stream
is fair game.” While the emphasis on earlier shows may gravitate toward musical acts, local artists of all disciplines will be considered as PAL events progress. As
vaccinations continue to roll out in Northwest Florida, Jadallah added: “Once it’s cool to have events again, I’m gonna keep doing this stream and selling tickets to it as well.”
The ultimate hope for this project is that viewers might gain a deeper appreciation for local artists in the Pensacola arts scene. When events resume in the not-too-distant future, Jadallah hopes that people who have attended the virtual events will be more inclined to support live events as well. For the time being, you can support local artists by tipping during PAL’s live performance series. More viewership means that it is more likely for PAL to gain sponsors, which will lead to more shows, more artists and more fun. While we wait for “business as usual” to resume, we can still make the best out of this intermission by gathering virtually to support the arts scene in Pensacola. You can view the artist lineup, view livestreams and connect with PAL through its Facebook page. PAL is also on Instagram @pensacolaartistslive.
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 9
Know More & Know First
Mark Jacobs
Cheryl King
Fox and Local News every 30 minutes and whenever news breaks
Traffic on the 5’s
morning and afternoon… anytime all day
Breaking News
@NewsRadio92.3
Spring Into Action!
Cooper Davis
LISTEN LIVE NewsRadio923.com “Alexa, Play NewsRadio 92 3” Talk & Text 850.437.1620 Report Traffic & News 850.262.6111
Adopt-A-Manatee
®
1-800-432-JOIN (5646) savethemanatee.org Photo © David Schrichte
Tacos Mexicanos
PENSACOLA’S FOOD SCENE FLOURISHES DESPITE PANDEMIC by Dakota Parks & Jesse Gann If there is one thing Pensacolians love more than the beach, Blue Wahoos or craft beer, it’s food trucks. Pensacola’s food truck scene has grown exponentially over the last year as more people adapted to take-out meals during quarantine and new restaurant owners took to the streets instead of traditional brick-and-mortar establishments. The perfect combination of mobility, financial flexibility and sprawling cuisine options has increased the demand for food truck owners and patrons. On a national level, food trucks have also become one of the fastest growing sectors of the food industry. According to IBISWorld market research, the restaurant industry has a growth rate of 2 percent yearly, while the food truck industry has a 7.9 percent annual growth rate over the past five years. Over a dozen new food trucks hit the streets of Pensacola in 2020. Pensacola’s illustrious food truck court, Al Fresco, also reopened in July 2020 as The Garden at Palafox & Main and welcomed three new restaurants to its complex with four airstream food trucks, five kiosks and The Perennial Bar operated by Perfect Plain Brewing Co. Several music, art and food festivals hosted in the area also support the bustling scene. Pensacola Habitat for Humanity is hosting its 5th annual Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival on March 12 and 13 at the Community Maritime Park following CDC guidelines, mask wearing and social distancing. The festival raises money to support Pensacola Habitat’s mission to build affordable homes, communities and hope. From savory BBQ, tater tots and mac-n-cheese topped delicacies to healthy fruit bowls and trucks dedicated entirely to waffles and mouth-watering desserts, there are so many new trucks to check out. Downtown Crowd caught up with the owners of several new food trucks in the area to learn more about designing their kitchens on wheels and diverse cuisine options.
The first Tacos Mexicanos truck opened back in 2016 in Gulf Breeze and filled a need in the food scene for what owner Gabriel Hernandez calls a “simple traditional taco.” When construction began on Chappie James Bridge and hindered the traffic flow and customer base, the truck moved to Pensacola and found its new spot in East Hill. Amidst the pandemic, co-owners Gabriel Hernandez, Kyle Smith and Brian Waghalter opened a second truck branded as Tacos Mexicanos Downtown, located at Perfect Plain. The menu is built around the staple item, the awesome taco, and features a burrito, quesadilla and huarchie as well as fresh guacamole and queso. For the vegetarian and vegan patrons, they serve up a vegetarian taco salad and offer black beans or marinated cauliflower as meat replacements. Tacos Mexicanos East Hill is located at 3000 N 12th Ave and open daily 11am–8pm and Tacos Mexicanos Downtown is open daily at 11am and located at 50 E Garden St.
Wacked Out Weiner
When Kevin Richardson retired out of the Marine Corps, he quickly got bored from all of his newfound free time and decided to become an entrepreneur and restaurant owner. He became a franchise owner of Wacked Out Weiner in 2018 and expanded to a food truck in early January 2020. Although COVID forced his brick-and-mortar storefront to adapt and close indoor dining, he attributes his food truck for keeping his business afloat through the pandemic. “My food truck had been on the road for less than a month when the shutdowns started,” he explained. “My business took an 80 percent cut to sales, and I knew we couldn’t keep up like that. Suddenly, overnight there was this surge and demand for food trucks because they were safer than dining in person. If I didn’t have the food truck, my business probably wouldn’t have survived the shutdown. It was a true blessing in disguise.” Wacked Out Weiner has regional favorites like the Chicago Dog and New York Dog, a customizable bar with 40 toppings and fanfavorite signature hotdogs on the menu, all for extremely affordable prices. The “Wacky Macky” featuring a Nathan’s All Beef Hotdog on a freshly steamed bun topped with mac n’ cheese, bacon and Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce even took second place out of 19 trucks at the November 2020 Food Truck Fest. The storefront is located at 6675 Pine Forest Rd Suite 5 and you can follow Wacked Out Weiner Pensacola on social media for the traveling food truck schedule.
'
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 11
Anna’s Kitchen Husband and wife duo Tim Phillips and Anna Zudina have often
bonded over trying to out-cook one another in the kitchen. When the pandemic forced them to shut down their condo cleaning business, the pair took funds from their SBA grant and purchased a food truck instead. “We have both always loved to cook,” Phillips said. “I was constantly cooking meals from my childhood that my mother used to make for me growing up in the South. Anna is from Russia and would cook Russian dishes to share with me. A food truck just seemed like the best thing for us to do together as we get older. We’ve been married for three years now and still enjoy working together every day.” Named after his wife Anna, Anna’s Kitchen, first opened in October 2020 and has been slowly building a steady fan base. Serving up Southern-inspired dishes with 100+ year old recipes inherited from Phillip’s family, the food truck specializes in BBQ and seafood. Although they are still expanding their menu and building their brand, staple items include pork BBQ, Texas style brisket and rice, fried shrimp and sour cream pound cake. To get updates on menu items and new locations, follow Anna’s Kitchen on social media.
All Gas No Brakes
The Fat Wagon Faced with both of their business
shut down during the pandemic, Artie and Keely Erd, owners of Infinite Ink Tattoo Studio and Sirens Salon, needed to find a new source of income that could stay open as an essential business during shutdowns and restrictions. Artie had always dreamed of owning a food truck and Keely wanted to open a nutrition shop, so the couple decided to take the leap into both business ventures while the tattoo studio and hair salon were shut down. “I’ve always been the cook in the family, and I wanted to open a restaurant, but that wasn’t practical during the pandemic,” Artie explained. “The food truck was a steppingstone and pandemic-friendly. We got together and wanted to think of a funny name that would stick in your head, so Fat Wagon was born and one of our artists at Infinite Ink drew up the logo.” The Fat Wagon cooks up burgers, fries, chicken and even deep-fried cheesecake, but their specialty item that sets them apart from other trucks are their pig wings. As Artie explained, the pig wings are 4oz of slow cooked tender pork shank that is flash fried like a chicken wing but falls apart in your mouth it’s so tender. The food truck officially opened in January 2021 and Keely said they are currently working on a “Fit Wagon Line” with healthier meal prep options with lower calories that corresponds to the nutrition shop they opened called One Step Up Nutrition and Fitness. Her goal is to offer ready-to-order meal prep plans out of the food truck for clients through the nutrition shop. To follow their plans and see travel locations and catered events, follow The Fat Wagon Food Truck on social media. 12 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
Owners Ainsley Brown and Latanya Andress first met in a culinary class in 2015 and worked together in a restaurant before becoming close friends and branching out to start their own business. It wasn’t until 2019 when Andress dreamt of opening a mobile food truck to save on rent and utilities all while having the flexibility to travel that she recruited Brown and the two business partners began designing their truck. Although the truck finally opened in October 2020, the pandemic delayed the process to build the truck that usually takes nine weeks and stretched it out into a fivemonth period as factories closed and faced shipping delays. Andress explained that the name for the truck came from the obstacles during the build: “On our way back from Orlando to design the truck, Ainsley said to me, ‘Well, you better enjoy these last few months of freedom, because soon it will be all gas no brakes.’ I yelled, ‘wait, that’s it!’ It was the perfect way to capture everything not going as planned and that there was no stopping us once we got started.” The truck was designed and built by the company One Fat Frog out of Orlando, which was the company that first inspired Latanya to open a truck when she started seeing their designs online. All Gas No Brakes changes its menu daily and offers soul food Sundays, hand battered, spicy chicken sandwiches and steak and chicken nachos. The owner’s favorite menu items include the red velvet waffle, banana pudding waffle and their fusion egg rolls which include the Philly cheesesteak egg roll and buffalo chicken egg roll. Follow All Gas No Brakes on social media to keep up with their schedule and events.
Waffle Boutique Like many new
food truck owners, when the pandemic hit, owners Cindy Salas and her fiancée John Hogen saw an opportunity in starting a food truck where they could bring their restaurant to their customers and offer a safe outdoor dining experience. Both of them have backgrounds in the food industry and merged their experiences to open the business together. Salas was formally trained in the service industry in Lima, Peru and has worked as a food and beverage director in the hotel industry for over a decade. Hogen has a background in business and experience working in the restaurant industry. The couple witnessed a surge of support when the Waffle Boutique first opened in August 2020 and accredit the response to people looking for safe ways to still get out and have fun amidst the pandemic while still being able to follow social distance protocol. While Hogen handles most of the business operations of the truck, Salas designed the menu and runs the kitchen. The menu offers a wide variety of sweet and savory options as they both explained: “We serve sweet and savory stick waffles and bubble waffles. The stick waffles come in several varieties and you can mix and match. Among them are things like the Chicken and Waffle, Salted Caramel Cheesecake Waffle, Pizza Waffle and Churro Waffle. Our bubble waffles have more of a custard flavor and are served as a dessert almost like a cone with ice cream and toppings. Our most popular bubble waffles are probably our Triple Chocolate and our Strawberry Tres Leches.” To find out their weekly schedule, visit waffleboutiquefoodtruck.com or follow them on social media.
Texan B’s BBQ This family owned and operated
truck was the long-time dream and passion project of Bill Davis, grill master for Texan B’s BBQ. Davis was born and raised in Texas and spent 25 years on a competitive BBQ team before moving and retiring to Pensacola. When Davis retired from his career in construction working primarily as a plumber, he needed something to keep himself busy, so he went to Pensacola State College and got a degree in culinary arts. He then embarked on a 14-month long project completely gutting and retrofitting a 25-year-old RV down to the frame to build his own food truck, equipped with an open-air grill deck on the back to mount his smoke pit to. Davis designed the truck and menu, which is still growing and currently features brisket, pulled pork and their ‘Meal in a Peel,’ which is a giant potato loaded with butter, sour cream, cheddar cheese, chives, and your choice of chopped brisket or pulled pork and drizzled with their signature blueberry-chipotle BBQ sauce. His stepson, Gabriel, the event coordinator for Texan B’s BBQ explained his favorite part of helping run the food truck: “My mom runs the front counter and drives the truck, I run the social media and PR, Bill mans the grill and my aunt also helps out. It’s a true family-run business. The great thing about barbeque is that when people see the smoke, they get excited. It creates this special sensation of gathering and community, like a family. I think people were looking for that safe gathering outlet through the pandemic.” To keep up with the traveling locations and menu, follow Texan B’s BBQ on social media.
Photos by Kristian Breeze & Nick Bridges
Mi Su Street Food
Hylene and Alden Garcia decided to take the plunge and open their own food truck after both being laid off from their jobs in the service industry at the beginning of the pandemic. Although, they both got their jobs back after the first wave of shutdowns, they had already started the process of opening their own business, which they had dreamed about for years. Alden’s parents own Salon San Carlos on Garden Street, which gave them a great location for their opening in January 2021 with the food truck parked behind the salon. As Hylene explained, their food truck is influenced by the nostalgic Spanish cuisine they both grew up with, but it’s not a strict label for their truck or cuisine: “Our name, Mi Su, is a reference to the classic saying, ‘mi casa es su casa.’ In our case however, we use the tagline, ‘mi calle, su calle’ or ‘my street, your street.’ We like this name because it is simple enough, but there’s also a quick Spanish lesson we can teach to those who don’t quite understand the name. While our truck has a lot of Spanish influence beyond the name, we don’t really want to put a label on ourselves. Essentially, we are just cooking whatever we want.” Every Friday for instance, they cook up American smash burgers. Their best menu item is currently an untraditional take on the smash burger called the Mi Su Melt, which contains a patti blend of chuck/chorizo, caramelized peppers/onions, white American cheese, chimichurri and a mole aioli (or moli-oli). Their second-best selling menu item are their tacos on soft, homemade flour tortillas. To follow new menu items, follow Mi Su Street Food on social media or visit misustreetfood.com.
'
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 13
Brown Bagger Food Truck
Brown Bagger is owned and operated by Tim Thompson and Ellis O’Neal. Thompson has owned and ran numerous businesses and O’Neal is a veteran of the restaurant equipment industry. The idea was born during a game of disc golf. The two decided to go into business together. An outfitted food truck was found online, and the owner drove it down to them from Virginia to Pensacola last March and the two liked what they saw. The truck was opened officially on January 14th of this year. Brown Bagger focuses on wagyu beef smash burgers, hand cut fries, and brussels sprouts among other things like their famous chicken tenders. “Our chicken tenders are cut fresh every day, and then breaded and fried once you order them.” Thompson wanted to focus on freshness and making sure everything was made to order. Everything from the buns to the beef is sourced locally in Pensacola and picked up fresh every day. “We wanted to create a fun atmosphere, make good consistent food and give back to the community while playing our eco role. That is something that is more important to me,” Thompson explained. Wisteria, which is Pensacola’s oldest bar that opened in 1935, is the base of operations for Brown Bagger. There are picnic tables outside of patrons to eat, or they may go inside to Wisteria to grab a beer and the Brown Bagger Team will happily bring your order to you. Don’t want to wait in line? Scan the QR code on the side of the truck and place your order online. You can find Brown Bagger at 3808 N 12th Ave from Tuesday to Saturday 11am–8pm.
Arlene the Lumpia Queen
Arlene Pomareno has been cooking commercially since 1996. Before the pandemic, Pomareno and her husband, Cesar, would cater every weekend at local music and arts festivals along the Gulf Coast. The dynamic duo would cook under the name “Cesar’s Concessions.” Pomareno, a native of the Philippine’s, has a large menu of home cooked goods as well as famous fair food. Since the pandemic, the Pomareno’s purchased a food truck in August of last year and had it up and running by October to supplement their income. Now, “Cesar’s Concessions” has turned into “Arlene the Lumpia Queen.” Pomareno was inspired to open her own business because of her parents. Growing up in the Philippines, her parents owned a small clothing store, and they would cook fresh food as well. She enjoyed watching her parents run a business so when she moved to Pensacola when she was 25, Pomareno started her own and she and her husband have been cooking ever since. Her daughter, Catherene, also helps the family on occasion. Pomareno’s menu consists of traditional Filipino affair such as Pancit, which is a rice noodle dish with a choice of chicken, shrimp, or beef. Her most famous dish is her Lumpia, which is a Filipino flair on a traditional spring roll. Lumpia is made with a thin wrapper which makes it sweeter. Pomareno’s lumpia are made with a choice of shrimp, chicken or beef and served deep fried. You can find the Arlene the Lumpia Queen food truck at 4826 W Fairfield Dr from Monday to Saturday 10am–6pm. 14 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
City Bowls South
City Bowls South is a health food truck based out of the Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Destin. It was established in 2018 and is known as Pensacola’s first healthy food truck. City Bowls offers acai, pitaya and green bowls on their menu. Prices run from about $7–$10 a bowl depending on the size. Each base flavor has a few creations alongside them as well as a create your own option. The “Freedom Bowl” consists of a base of acai, apple juice, bananas and strawberries and the toppings include blueberries, granola, coconut flakes and strawberries. You can find City Bowls South Monday–Saturday mostly from 10am–5pm in a new location each day of the week. Check out their location, dates and time on their social media pages @citybowlssouth.
Got Tot’s? Got Tot’s was founded by Christine Zulager. She had an
MELT
After closing their franchise Boneheads Pensacola amidst the pandemic, Rachel and Kendrick Hobbs were cooking dinner at home and thinking about the future, when they stumbled across a new food concept. Rachel was cooking dinner in their new instantpot and soon the couple started brainstorming all the ways to bring luxury cooking to a simple Southern staple: mac n’ cheese. Within a few short months, this idea spawned not one, but two food trucks. The Hobbs closed Boneheads Pensacola in May, opened their first mobile MELT food truck in June and by July opened their second food truck at The Garden on Palafox & Main. “My wife came up with the name and together we worked on the menu” Kendrick explained. “We had so many ideas that we didn’t even create some of our original dishes. There is so much you can do with a simple dish and it works extremely well in a food truck where your ingredients need to be multipurpose for storage and space restrictions.” After creating signature mac n’ cheese dishes, The Hobbs created a variety of sandwich melts using garlic sourdough bread. One of the top sellers on the MELT menu is the pulled pork mac n’ cheese and pulled pork melt with pork slow cooked for nine hours. If you ask Kendrick though, combinations are the way to really have fun with the MELT menu. His favorite dish combines the buffalo chicken mac with chicken, cream cheese, sharp cheddar and buffalo sauce on top of a pulled pork melt for a very hearty and cheese-filled dish. You can catch MELT from 11am–9pm daily at The Garden and follow their social media MELT Pensacola for the mobile truck locations.
idea of opening her own coffee and sandwich shop, but the idea transformed into a food truck. Got Tot’s? specializes in tater tots and there are a few creative dishes on the menu. “I chose tater tots because, who doesn’t like tater tots?” Zulager said. The food truck is run by Zulager with the help of her husband and daughter. The two most popular dishes on the menu are the “Rowdy Rob,” which is tater tots, buffalo chicken, mac n’ cheese, ranch, buffalo sauce and green onions. The “Pac Man,” has tater tots, mac n’ cheese, ranch, bacon bits and jalapenos. Opening her business during the pandemic has been difficult for Zulager. “It was the most difficult and expensive thing I’ve ever done,” she explained. “Right after I purchased the trailer, the world shut down. The offices that issue licensing were shut down for a little while. I also needed to obtain a ‘commissary.’ Somewhere that I could wash my dishes and get clean water. It took months of asking different business’s if I could do that, and finally I found one at Beardless Brewhaus.” The Got Tot’s? operation has also already outgrown its current truck, and Zulager is currently on the hunt for a replacement. You can find Got Tot’s? in Milton at Beardless Brewhaus at least once a week. Location, date and time can be found on the Got Tot’s? Facebook page.
Who Dat Po’Boys When Corey Knight first moved to Pensacola from New Orleans
over 20 years ago, he missed the authentic cooking and po’boys from his hometown. While some local restaurants offered an occasional seafood po’boy on the menu, he couldn’t find anyone serving up po’boys with authentic meat, bread and sauces, so he decided to open his own food truck to fill that void. Who Dat Po’Boys officially opened in June 2020, aptly named after the ‘Who Dat chant’ sung by fans of the New Orleans Saints. As Knight explained, he decided to open a food truck to build his fan base before committing to a brick-and-mortar restaurant, which he has plans to expand to in the near future. The truck allowed him to open at a permanent location at 3391 N Pace Blvd during the weekdays and travel to events and festivals on the weekends. “Opening during the pandemic was crazy, but amazing,” Knight explained. “We had over 300 people alone come out to buy our food on our grand opening, which really surprised me.” Knight has always loved cooking, which runs in the family. His grandmother owned a restaurant, and his brother has worked as a chef in New Orleans for 40 years and offered to help with logistics of opening the truck. The menu offers a wide variety of po’boys including seafood and fresh off the grill. The seafood consists of shrimp, fish and oysters and the grilled side offers sausage, hot sausage, roast beef and cheeseburger po’boys. The signature Who Dat Po’Boy is Cajun fried shrimp drenched in the homemade Who Dat Sauce and served on toasted New Orleans French bread and fully dressed with mayo, lettuce and pickles. Follow Who Dat Po’Boys online to learn their specials offering gumbo, shrimp stew and red beans and rice. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 15
It only takes one person to slash the statistics.
Did you know that 1 in 10 children Escambia County are victims of child abuse? It’s time to change that number. Visit KnowChildAbuse.org to learn to recognize, report and reduce child abuse.
Don’t miss the biggest golf party of the year...
Win $5,000 in a 50-foot putting contest!
The Golf Ball Friday, April 9, 2021 6:30 – 10:30 p.m.
Benefiting:
Court of De Luna Outdoor (and Indoor) Event Space 116 E. Gonzalez Street, Pensacola
Join our Sponsors!
Enjoy a Masters-Tournament Inspired Buffet & Top-Shelf Bar Watch Masters Tournament Coverage on GIANT Screens Dance to Live Music from The Bay Bridge Band Bid on Live & Silent Auctions
Dress up in your sharpest golf attire! Caddyshack style?
Loudmouth? Country Club? Prizes for best-dressed patrons!
To Purchase Tickets or a Sponsorship Package: 850-456-7010 or FirstTeeGulfCoast.org/The-Golf-Ball/
First Tee Gulf Coast is a youth-serving organization that teaches golf as a life-long sport to instill character education through the game’s inherent “Nine Core Values.” All funds raised stay local. First Tee Gulf Coast is a 501(C)3 organization (EIN 59-3288799).
LOCAL TikTok
ACCOUNTS
YOU NEED
TO SEE by Gi na Ca st ro
@KittyGetAJob Do you like comedy that makes you laugh out loud, cringe or feel a little bad for laughing? Then you’ll want to check out this account. Kitty Get A Job is a local comedy sketch group. They have dozens of videos on Youtube and Instagram, but they are just starting out on TikTok. It’s TikTok premium but for free.
@DawDoesStuff A local comedian does stuff. There isn’t a theme on this account. @DawsDoesStuff channels a variety of characters to poke fun at TikTok trends. One of the best characters is Danny Daytona. Spoofs of Nascar are always hilarious. This account gets bonus points for cat videos.
@Polar_Express_Conductor This account is on the wholesome side of TikTok. @Polar_Express_Conductor perfectly captures
ave you downloaded TikTok yet? Chances are your answer is yes. The app has more than 1.5 billion downloads and more than 800 million active users worldwide. TikTok has quickly surpassed the number of users on Snapchat, Twitter and Linkedin. Although many believe that TikTok is just Gen Z and younger performing odd dances, there is so much more to this social media platform. Unlike Instagram, TikTok isn’t filled with highly polished influencers. TikTok is mainly ordinary people expressing themselves through funny and engaging videos in a largely supportive environment. Perhaps the best element of TikTok is the For You Page (FYP). Other common apps like Facebook and Instagram flood your main feed with whatever posts have the most likes and comments, which makes it difficult for all content to be seen. TikTok FYP follows the algorithm of the user’s interests based on the user’s likes, follows and shares. This difference allows TikTok to highlight platforms with few followers or likes so that ordinary users get the spotlight, rather than glammed up influencers. This explains why TikTok users frequently ask each other “Did we all live the same childhood?” Whether you are new to TikTok or have been a part of it since the beginning, you’re going to want to check out these local TikToks.
the magic of the Christmas movie Polar Express. In this account, the conductor is brought to life through a Pensacola Little Theatre actor, who looks identical to Tom Hanks. No matter your age, this account is sure to bring a smile to your face.
@MrBlueDotMan You know the delicious burger joint, Blue Dot BBQ? The owner’s son, Brandon, made a TikTok. Brandon posts dozens of videos of himself dancing in his Blue Dot shirt. If he’s not making TikToks at the family restaurant, he’s probably dancing in front of his mom’s disapproving face. Check out this account if you want a dose of positivity.
@CostaMakesSushi Warning, don’t watch this account while hungry. @CostaMakesSushi, as the name suggests, makes sushi— incredibly delicious looking sushi. This local sushi chef shows how he creates traditional rolls as well as completely original rolls
such as Waffle House and Chic-Fil-A inspired sushi rolls. These videos are satisfying to watch and you can follow along to make sushi at home.
@LoveAnneliesePhoto Anneliese is a photographer based out of Pensacola. Through her account, she shares dozens of tips for wedding planning and the most up to date wedding trends. This account is great to follow for wedding inspiration ideas, especially if you’re tired of seeing the same old posts on Pinterest.
@PensacolaBoys Okay, we know we just explained that TikTok is so much more than just Gen Z dancing, but that doesn’t mean dance accounts can’t be cool. @PensacolaBoys is a local dance group. They perform dance routines all over the city, but you can tell that this group of boys are just friends having a good time. Follow this account to support this bromance. DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 17
Creating
Harmony from Cacophony Voices of Pensacola Hosts Jazz Expert by Dakota Parks t the young age of four years old, Dr. Joan Cartwright WomWoen Blues rkers e First Civil Rights Th walked onto a stage for the first time to perform in front of thousands of people, unaware that she would later spend most of her life revolving around the stage: on tour, lecturing, writing and advocating for female musicians. Over her 40+ year career as a jazz and blues musician, vocalist and composer, she rubbed shoulders with some ht Dr. Joan Carghtrig of the greatest musicians in the world. Cartwright is an author of 14 books, including her memoir, and books about poetry, women in music, the history of jazz and blues and the business and market- ing of music. The National League of American Pen Women and African American Heritage Society of Pensacola will be hosting Dr. Cartwright at the Voices of Pensacola via Zoom at 2pm on March 14, where she will be presenting on her book Blues Women: The First Civil Rights Workers.
18 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
“ You have to get mad first before you can try to fix something.” “For about 36 years, I toured five continents, 22 countries and several states,” Dr. Cartwright said. “Over that period, I worked with hundreds of male musicians—and only six women. I started doing research and, quite frankly, I got mad. You have to get mad first before you can try to fix something, so then I started writing.” Cartwright became interested in the stories and lives of the female musicians that pioneered blues music, including Gertrude “Ma” Rainey, Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Eartha Kitt to name a few. Through studying their lyrics and lives, she came to realize
that these women were singing songs embodying the black experience and calling out for liberation, healing and civil rights, many of which were long before the Civil Rights Movement began. Her book tells the stories of Eartha Kit being blacklisted for speaking out against the Vietnamese War and Josephine Baker being the only woman to speak at the March on Washington where Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech. Originating out of the South by enslaved African Americans and hailed “Devil’s music,” by early crude listeners, blues created a foundation for catharsis and a
Bessie Smith
Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Carl Van Vechten Collection, [reproduction number, e.g., LC-USZ62-54231]
rhetoric of liberation, according to Cartwright’s book Blues Women: “Blues is a breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of discrimination, racism, physical and psychological abuse, and over all inhumanity towards children, women, men, and whole groups of people.” Dr. Cartwright’s interest and dedication to women musicians didn’t stop with the blues women, however. In 2007, she founded Women in Jazz South Florida, Inc., a non-profit organization to promote women musicians, globally. From there, she kept writing and earned a Doctorate in Business Marketing where she wrote her dissertation on “Women in Jazz: Music Publishing and Marketing” to help bridge the gap of women musicians in the maledominated industry. According to Forbes, the gender gap in the music industry is staggering: women make up 21.7 percent of artists, 12.3 percent of songwriters and only 2.1 percent of music producers. “The music industry is a $20 billion industry and women musicians only make around 12 percent of that revenue” she explained. “Just think: when is the last time you saw an all-
Billie Holiday
William P. Gottlieb/Ira and Leonore S. Gershwin Fund Collection, Music Division, Library of Congress.
woman band or a woman headlining on an instrument? Women face the same hiring bias as black people. Coachella is one of the biggest music festivals in the world and four women have headlined it since 1999. Beyoncé was the first black woman to headline at Coachella and only 10 percent of the musicians there are women.”
Eartha Kit
From user oneredsf1 on Flickr.
For Dr. Cartwright, who identifies as a womanist, a term coined by Allice Walker that focuses on uplifting women of color, her goal is to empower women musicians and build the archive of women musicians. She says the solution to closing the gender gap in music is to help women gain business and marketing skills, which she promotes in
“Music is very powerful, and it’s the precursor to every revolution.
We have to use music to build harmony out of the cacophony of the world.”
Her dissertation outlines a myriad of issues that exist solely for women musicians and not their male counterparts, including unequal pay, discrimination in venue and gig booking, sexualization and objectification by the industry at large and marginalization in the male-dominated recording studios and production companies, owned, operated and scouted for by men. Her studies found that women in jazz that do not join a musician’s union make 68 cents to every dollar paid to male musicians.
both her dissertation and her nonprofit publication Musicwoman Magazine. “I am not a jazz journalist or simply a jazz artist that writes. I’m a jazz archivist. All of my books and magazines are collecting the stories and archives of women musicians,” she said. When asked what we can learn from the history of the early blues women paired against the struggles facing modern women musicians, Dr. Cartwright explained that
it’s about building harmony in the face of cacophony. “Every revolution in the world was heralded by the musicians: by the war drum, by the trumpet sounding an army gathering,” she said. “Music is very powerful, and it’s the precursor to every revolution. We have to use music to build harmony out of the cacophony of the world. From the Civil Rights Movement to the attack on the Capitol in January—all of that is cacophony, confusion, disharmony. I think music shows us the way through it and how to navigate it.” Dr. Cartwright will be giving her lecture and presentation on the blues women on Zoom through the Voices of Pensacola on March 14 at 2pm. A link to the event will be posted at africanamericanheritagesociety.org/ events. Dr. Cartwright is currently working to get her books into every major library and university system in America and aspiring to build a theatre in North Carolina complete with a library and archive of women musicians. To learn more about her work and nonprofit, visit wijsf.org.
DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 19
MARCH CALENDAR Constant Coffee
March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 Join Pensacola Poetry at the longest running open mic in Pensacola at Constant Coffee & Tea. Every Tuesday of the week poets and creatives come to flex their voices through poetry, rap and spoken word. Come out and support the local arts community and hear a beautiful bricolage of words. Doors open at 6:00 pm and mic starts at 6:30. Follow Pensacola Poetry on Facebook for updates and information.
Sun Belt Men & Women’s Basketball Conference
March 5–8 All 12 conference members will compete in the single-elimination Sun Belt championships. The women’s and men’s champions will be crowned on Monday at the conclusion of the tournament and will advance to the NCAA Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournament. The tournaments will be played March 5-8 at the Pensacola Bay Center and will mark the beginning of NCAA March Madness.
Pensacola Little Theatre presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream
March 5–21 Shakespeare’s hilarious fairytale about the fickleness of love comes to life on our stage just in time for spring. Spend the evening in an enchanted forest filled with fairies, a quartet of confused royals, and a troupe of actors desperately trying to put on a play for the king. This Treehouse production is appropriate for ages 12 and up and is adapted and directed by Ashley McGlothren.
200 South Small Business Saturday
March 6 On the first Saturday of each month the 200 South will host the Small Business Saturday Promotion. This is an initiative to support local business friends and those that support them by buying their products, food and drinks. Bring in a receipt from a purchase made from another downtown business (it can be ANY downtown business) and receive 10% off your bill at 200 South. This is redeemable at Graffiti Pizza, World of Beer, Taco Agave and Blend Lounge. 20 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
*Must be a receipt dated that specific Saturday and can only be redeemed that same day.
2021 Spring Food Truck Fest
March 6 Tempt your taste buds and come hungry at this year’s 2021 Spring Food Truck Fest. The fest will feature a number of the city’s finest food trucks! The event will also have vendors exhibiting and selling gifts, crafts, jewelry, personal care products and much more. Held at the Community Maritime Park from 11am– 8pm. Admission is $2 and kids 12 and under are free. A portion of the proceeds goes to Feeding the Gulf Coast.
Pensacola Opera presents H.M.S. Pinafore
March 10–14 Caught between her love for a lowlyborn sailor, Ralph Rackstraw, and the unwanted attentions of the repugnant Sir Joseph Porter, Josephine’s future happiness rests in the secrets revealed by a mysterious bumboat woman. Gilbert & Sullivan’s beloved comedy of class distinctions docks at the Saenger Theatre, promising hilarious high-jinks on the high seas for audiences of all ages! Unable to join in person? New this season, consider joining the show virtually for a special live stream experience!
Pensacola Habitat Food Truck Festival
March 12–13 Join Pensacola Habitat For Humanity for its 5th annual food truck festival, celebrating Pensacola Habitat’s 40th year anniversary! Support the mission of building homes, community, and hope by coming out to taste test some food and peruse some vendors. Held at the Community Maritime Park, Friday 6–10pm and Saturday 11am–9pm. Follow Pensacola Habitat For Humanity on social media or check out pensacolahabitatfoodtruckfest.org for more information.
McGuire’s 5k Run
March 13 The McGuire’s St. Patrick’s Day 5k Run is a Pensacola tradition and is known as the largest Prediction Run in America. This year, the 5k Run is following social
distancing protocols and taking it to the streets. All participants are asked to maintain social distance of 6ft while on the property and including at Packet Pickup. Additionally, all runners must wear a face mask at all times except during the run and bring their own water. The run starts at 9am at McGuire’s Irish Pub and admission costs $25.
St. Patrick’s Day Pensacola Ice Flyers vs Knoxville Ice Bears
March 13 The Pensacola Ice Flyers are hosting the Knoxville Ice Bears for St. Patrick’s Day at the Pensacola Bay Center! Wear green for good luck and cheer on the Ice Flyers. Tickets can be purchased online on Ticket Master or in-person at the box office. Show starts at 7:05 pm.
Giveaway Night Pensacola Ice Flyers vs Knoxville Ice Bears
March 14 The Pensacola Ice Flyers are hosting the Knoxville Ice Bears for Giveaway Night at the Pensacola Bay Center! Be sure to be one of the first in the door to get a chance at some awesome giveaways. Tickets can be purchased online on Ticket Master or in-person at the box office. Show starts at 4:05 pm.
Voices of Pensacola Hosts Jazz Expert
March 14 Join the Voices of Pensacola, sponsored by the African American Heritage Society and the National League of American Pen Women in welcoming renowned jazz musician and expert Dr. Joan Cartwright virtually via Zoom at 2pm. Dr. Cartwright will be giving a presentation on the blues women that pioneered the blues genre and spoke out against racism through their music. Her presentation will be based off her book Blues Women: The First Civil Rights Workers. Visit the African American Heritage Society website for the Zoom link.
Pensacola VegFest 2021
March 23 Pensacola VegFest will be held at the Community Maritime Park from 11am– 6pm on March 23. This festival features a wide variety of vegan food, vegan des-
serts, meditation circles, cooking demonstrations, live music, face painting, free yoga and diverse vendors.
Military Appreciation Night - Pensacola Ice Flyers vs Macon Mayhem
March 26 The Pensacola Ice Flyers are hosting the Macon Mayhem for Military Appreciation Night sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union at the Pensacola Bay Center! Join us as we celebrate our great service members and nation. Tickets can be purchased online via Ticket Master or in-person at the box office. Show starts at 7:35 pm.
Pensacola Little Theatre presents Short Attention Span Theatre
March 26–April 3 Short Attention Span Theatre is a fun evening of short plays revolving around love and relationships. This year you’ll see three stages in one couple’s relationship spanning about 3 decades, an improbable ill-fated Zombie romance and conversations between two paintings hanging in the Louvre. The directors this year are Clayton Habecker, Lisa Goodness, and Leslee Young. Tickets go on sale March 22.
Pensacola Tribute Fest
March 27th and 28th Come rock out at the Pensacola Tribute Fest at the Community Maritime Park amphitheater from 11am–11pm. The festival will feature 11 tribute bands playing music over two days. One day tickets start at $35 and increase in price closer to the event. For more info or to purchase tickets, visit pensacolatributefest.com.
Small Dog Race Night - Pensacola Ice Flyers vs Macon Mayhem
March 27 The Pensacola Ice Flyers are hosting the Macon Mayhem for Small Dog Race Night at the Pensacola Bay Center! Join the fun for a night of epic races and small dogs galore. Tickets can be purchased online via Ticket Master or in-person at the box office. Show starts at 7:05 pm.
MILITARYMATTERS
MILITARYMATTERS
AN ARMED FORCES NEWS SECTION
CORRY STATION’S GRIMALDI COMMUNITY: A MUSIC-FUELED SAFE SPACE by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Neo B. Greene III
C
mdr. John Ismach-Eastman, a chaplain assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida, has been creating alternative programs to help new-accession students better handle stress and support their mental health. Complementing the programs that currently exist, Eastman has revived a 50-year-old program in an effort to give servicemembers one more tool they can use. The program is the creation of a group, called the Grimaldi Community, which uses the principles of music therapy to let servicemembers talk and discover their feelings in a safe, relaxed environment. Eastman and the Sailors currently in the group believe the initiative is an easy way for service members to seek help, or help themselves, without having to enter a formal program. The decision to use music as a tool to help servicemembers was originally created
Photo By Seaman Neo Greene | PENSACOLA, Fla. (Feb. 5, 2021) - Cryptologic Technician (Networks) Seaman Nikolas Fults, front, from Anaheim California, and Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Seaman Ethan Fletcher, back, from Colorado Springs, Colorado, discuss music with Cmdr. John Isnmach-Eastman during a Grimaldi Community group meeting onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida.
by Chaplain Don Harris, a retired Navy captain who founded the Chaplains Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) in 1971. Harris’ goal was to aid Vietnam veterans returning home from combat. Now his methods are being used to assist students with whatever struggles they have experienced, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and in their new lives as servicemembers. “It’s good to talk about both the positive and negative things in a person’s life, and this program helps people get to that point,”
said Eastman. “When Don worked with the Vietnam service members who were scarred physically and mentally, music helped them open up and heal. I remember he told me there was a point in time when they were waiting on this song ‘Here Comes the Sun’ by The Beatles to be released, and he said they used that song to look forward to a brighter future. ‘Lean on Me’ was another big favorite. There ended up being a whole catalog of songs they would use. Just one song can be thought-provoking or even helpful to a whole group of people.” DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM | 21
MILITARYMATTERS “Music therapy incorporates techniques such as listening to, reflecting on and creating music to improve a client’s health and well-being,” according to Psychology Today. Immersing people in music allows them to more easily express themselves, identify and process difficult experiences, develop social and communication skills, or simply find emotional release. Cryptologic Technician (Technical) Seaman Ethan Fletcher and Cryptologic Technician (Networking) Seaman Nickolas Fults, Navy information warfare students attached to Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) Corry Station who are currently attending the program, say the it has been beneficial, even in the short time they’ve been participating. “I think the music aspect of this program is a great attractor,” said Fults. “There is so much music that speaks to people; it helps open people up to talking about their feelings or giving them an outlet to open up. There are a lot of people who have trouble opening up, and this is an easier way of connecting people through things they can more easily feel. The music is like a catalyst to helping me open up, but we also get a feeling of comradery through this.” Music can be used to encourage emotional expression, relieve stress and symptoms of anxiety, strengthen coping skills and boost a service members overall mental and emotional health. In the Grimaldi Community, these benefits are broadened by sharing them between open-minded servicemembers. “People can use music to say things that they might not feel comfortable saying, or don’t know how to say, in any other circumstance,” shared Fletcher. “It feels good that there are people who I know I can relate to, or who have similar messages that I do, who I can connect with by sharing just a song. There’s a lot of darkness in the world, and some of 22 | DOWNTOWNCROWD.COM
that we can relate to with a certain song, or we can relate to or uplift others with a different song that counteracts that darkness.” While the group is available to any individual that wants to join, Eastman says the group is welcome to all and participation is at every person’s own pace. With a more informal approach to self-help and expression, the goal is to provide a safe space for those involved.
“Everyone has their issues, even on their best days,” added Fults. “Anything that can help with those issues, I see as a good thing. This is a very safe, relaxed environment where you can come and enjoy the music you love and even if you come to be a part of this program and don’t say a word, you can still end up leaving having gotten something out of it.” The community gets its name from the famed clown Joseph Grimaldi (1778-1837) who behind the makeup suffered from deep both the bouts of depression and alcoholism.
It’s good to talk about positive and negative things in a person’s life, and this program helps people get to that point.” “The majority of people don’t go into any program and feel comfortable right away,” said Eastman. “This is all purely voluntary, but if you join us, you’ll be welcome and received by open-minded people. We want to emphasize that, while music is therapeutic, this is more than just that aspect. This is service members coming together to create a CREDO-like community where we all get something positive for ourselves and for each other. We don’t come in here with an agenda. There is no planned theme other than the songs that these people pick to review or tying something back to a song that we heard before. If we hear a message that we can all agree on or want to go further into, we dive into it.” Fletcher and Fults say that students and servicemembers in general should take advantage of the program and use it to help them in their personal lives and careers. Whether it is for venting feelings, helping others or connecting with other people through a different medium, the Grimaldi Community looks to exist for the servicemembers’ benefit.
The Grimaldi Community currently meets every Tues 0830-0930 in the Corry Chapel located onboard Corry Station, Pensacola, Florida. No appointments are needed, and walk-ins are always welcome. For more information, call: (850) 452-6376. IWTC Corry Station, as part of the Center for Information Warfare Training (CIWT), provides a continuum of training to Navy and joint service personnel that prepares them to conduct information warfare across the full spectrum of military operations. With four schoolhouse commands, a detachment, and training sites throughout the United States and Japan, CIWT trains over 22,000 students every year, delivering trained information warfare professionals to the Navy and joint services. CIWT also offers more than 200 courses for cryptologic technicians, intelligence specialists, information systems technicians, electronics technicians, and officers in the information warfare community. For more news from Center for Information Warfare Training domain, visit https:// www.public.navy.mil/netc/centers/ciwt/, www.facebook.com/NavyCIWT, or www. twitter.com/NavyCIWT.
BUYING, SELLING OR LOOKING?
T
Let Robert help you with your Real Estate needs.
ordo G e h n Community Art Center
A place to create, inspire and connect. . .
a place for everyone.
ROBERT GEAN Broker/Owner GRI, MRP, MFP Retired Air Force
850.206.0395
Rentals:
• Studio for classes & performances • Music Room • Theatre Arts Library
Open to all:
3025 King Street Pensacola, FL 32526
FloridaPanhandleRealty.llc
• Outdoor Community Garden • Lobby • Adjacent Parking
The Gordon Community Art Center 306 N DeVilliers | 850.857.8961 | TheGordon.org
PROGRAMS OFFERED:
Associate of Science in Nursing
Day and Night Classes Available
Medical Assisting • Dental Assisting Medical Office Administration • HVAC Cosmetology • Massage Therapy Practical Nursing
850.476.7607 FortisInstitute.edu
4081 E Olive Rd Suite B | Pensacola, FL 32514
Flexible Class Schedules
Financial Aid Available for those who Qualify
Career Placement Assistance for all who Graduate
ABHES Accredited | Approved for Veteran’s Training Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)
For consumer information, visit Fortis.edu
Please join us for our 3 rd annual
Jelly Bean 5K Run!
This is a family friendly event to kick off your Easter weekend celebrations. Bring out the family and everyone get their run on! You don’t want to miss this annual race through Cordova Park!
April 3, 2021
For registration and event details, visit
GetMeRegistered.com/JellyBeanRun All proceeds will benefit Trinity youth programs.
Presented by: Trinity Presbyterian Church 3400 Bayou Blvd | Pensacola, FL 32503
Thank you to our Sponsors!
Awards for first place male and female in each division will receive a homemade cake!